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"A Family Tradition for 133 Years" PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, March 16, 1999 - 7 @he Pod Perey Stay Question of the Week... The federal government is consider- ont 2 Heinen te the Young Lindsay Green Debbie Lane Kelly Broome Jim McGhee Donna McKenna you like 3) dhe In our society, some kids are I would like to see stiffer Their names should be I think that making the I think that it is time that brought up not knowing penalties and I think that identified by the media, parents responsible for the the parents become ) right from wrong. They the age at which they can depending on the severity childrens' actions is a responsible for what their Do you have a suggestion that deserve a second chance. In be charged should be of the crime. good idea. kids:do. you think would make a good some cases, kids should be decreased. Parents should question of the week? penalized because murder is not be responsible for their Call us at 905-985-7383. still murder. childrens' crimes. LETTERS Green Team is marking Earth Day To the Editor: During the week of April 17 to 25, millions of Canadians will be celebrating International Earth Day by taking affirmative environmental action. The members of Scugog's Green Team would like to point out that this is also National Pesticide- Free Week. Once again this spring, we will be going door to door with our "Dear Neighbour" letter campaign which has been our most effective tool to promote pesticide awareness. This year, Earth Day Canada is highlighting the middle "R" - Reuse, nationwide for the purpose of: 1) educating Canadians as to the ethical and environmental benefits of reuse, and 2) asking Canadians to make a serious personal commitment to reuse in their daily lives. To receive a reuse pledge kit, call 416-599-1991 or check out the web site at www.earthday.ca. Look for Earth Day posters at the township office, library, and Reids Organic Garden Cafe for Scugog Green Team's sponsored event. Brenda Stevenson, Scugog Green Team To the Editor: Readers of The Port Perry Star may recall a story that appeared in the paper just before Christmas toll been stolen in a scam and also mentioning that I was in urgent need of employment. Unfortunately, not much resulted from this story. I have been seeking work diligently, but thus far I have not been offered any employment. I have well-developed writing and telephone skills. My experience includes customer service, as well as correspondence and report writing. I am proficient in Word and can use e-mail and Man just wants his chance to earn a living ling about how my savings had search the net. I would consider any work at all that a vision-impaired person could perform. The federal government's employment depart- ment will provide a subsidy to an employer who hires a disabled worker. I am just asking for a chance to earn my living and pay my bills. If anyone would care to help me, they should please call me at 985-2920 or e-mail me at sirsean@mail.oix.com. Sir Sean J. Madsen, Port Perry ggest snowstorms the area had ee days to open the road between tesy Walter Phoenix é by Jeff Mitchell YOUTH CRIME AND PUNISHMENT It seems as though crime and punishment is on every- one's minds these days (no, not that moody, gritty Russian novel... although with March Break coming up, a few pots of coffee and a few hours with the tortured Raskalnikov does sound attractive). It's an issue that never completely goes away. Every day we are confronted with some story of the justice system reaching some sort of conclusion -- that is, sen- tencing -- and it seems that the echo of the gavel has not stopped before the result is being debated. Was the sen- tence tough enough, or too lenient? How much time does he actually serve? Are we sure this person is guilty? Is he innocent, or just able to afford a really, really good lawyer? Front and centre right now of course is the Young Offenders Act (YOA), revisions to which have been put forth by the federal Justice Committee. The feds are - responding to years of criticism of the YOA, which was designed to address youth crime and introduce what were seen as progressive and compassionate schedules of punishment. All very nice, except for the almost universal perception that it didn't work. Young thugs were sneering at a system they regarded as soft and toothless, we were told, doing short bits in cozy summer camps or no time at all, and emerging just cynical and dangerous enough to start doing some real damage. Probably true, for some of them. It is a fact that there is and always will be a faction among us who have no regard for law, order, and the sanctity of life and property. Some goons will steal, kill, rape and ruin no matter what the consequences. If it weren't for recidivism, where would all our prisons go for customers? So the pressure has been on to go after the tough nuts who are created by or despite the juvenile justice system. Hence, repeat offenders will be dealt with more harshly, violent youths will be identified in the media, and there will be more opportunities to try youthful offenders in adult court, which will mean adult sentences for them. We have to be careful, though, not to cast the net too wide. In our haste to deal sternly with some offenders, we can't forget the essence of the YOA, as mentioned earlier: to counsel young people who've got into trouble, and help them to avoid more trouble. Quick, now: How many of you had a brush with the law when you were younger? Thought so. | Let's deal properly and sternly with deserving offenders, to be sure. Let's also remember they're kids. Kids need guidance in addition to discipline.